Today apparently was the last day for the Democrat-Gazette’s Weekend section as a stand-alone tabloid insert in the Friday paper. Advertisers have been informed that the section will disappear and the coverage be folded into the Thursday features section. We have a call in, but it seems likely a product of on-going cost-cutting there and everywhere. The D-G earlier had instituted a hiring and pay freeze and asked for voluntary hour reductions from staff.
UPDATE: A prototype of the new Thursday section with weekend coverage is shown above.
UPDATE II: The stand-alone Food section is headed for a rollup with the Wednesday features section as another paper-saving move.
UPDATE III: Deputy Editor Frank Fellone says, without providing details, that changes are being made. “I think that this paper is changing a lot less than other newspapers and whatever changes we make will be thoroughly considered and logical, and with the least dissonance for readers,” Fellone said.
When asked if the move was a cost-cutting measure Fellone said, “I think these are interesting times, and I think every organization is dancing as fast as it can.”
— Gerard Matthews